Diver&#39;s sandal



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WILLIAM C. ZESS, OF BETHESDL, .MARYLAND DIVERS SANDAL.

Application filed October 7, 1920.

1/ '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TILLIAM C. Znss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bethesda, in the county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Divers `Sandals, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to divers footgear, andlmore particularly to a divers weighted sandal to be worn over a gum or similar boot so that during periods between diving operations, the diver may slip off the sandals and walk in the boots without undue wear of the foot portions of his suit and without the necessity of having slippers and the like handy for this purpose.

Itis a well known fact that divers sandals are commonly formed of cast iron and that while this construction suiiices on sand or mud bottoms, it is extremely dangerous on rock bottoms because of the likelihood of slipping, `and it is also true that when manufactured of cast iron with walls and base of sufficient thickness Vtoprevent danger of breaking, the total weight so closely approaching the maximum weight capable of effective use, as to preclude the addition of a material such as lead for the purpose of added traction on rock.

Itis furthermore of common knowledge to provide lead soles for divers shoes or sandals the uppers of which are formed of leather and the soles of which are usually attached by wooden inner soles. 'Such shoes or sandals lack the v`desired durability, which means safety to the diver, the leather uppers quickly rot in salt water and the wooden inner soles crack and split.

It is therefore the primary object of my present invention to provide a sandal having all of the durable qualities of cast iron, of a nondeteriorating material which will at f the same time admit of a lead sole and still come within the weight limit, as well as a novel construction and arrangement of parts adapting the saine to practically a life time use and equal effectiveness and safety on sand, mud and rock bottoms.

Sandals at present formed of cast iron are also provided with toe caps into which the forward portions of the sidewalls merge, and which caps stand up above the foot to such an extent as to materially interfere with movement of the divers feet in ascend Patented June 28, 1921.

Serial No. 415, ad.

ing and descending ladders and constantly present a decided danger of fouling the lines. A further object of my invention is to avoid vthis danger by the provision of a sandal having a close fitting toe cap and having suiliciently low side walls and a sufciently low heel counter as to permit the sandal to be readily fitted and removed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention, and forming a part of this specification- Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the practical application of a sandal constructedvin accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the sandal, and

Fig. 3 is a partial bottom plan view of the sandal.V t

Referring now to these figures and particularly to Fig.' 1 l have shown a portion of one leg of a divers suit at 1.0, whose usual lowei` foot portion Vis inclosed by a gum boot or overshoe 11 to be in turn extended within the sandal 12 as shown. The gum Lboot or overshoe 11. permits the diver to wall: around upon shipboard by siniply slip` ping olf the sandal, duringr the not infrequent intervals between diving operations vdioseV duration is such that 'the' diver re-` moves only the heavier portions of his gear.,

that is breast plate, helmet and sandals and still retains his suit, the foot portions of@ protect from per of the sandal when fully formed with Y walls and base of a desired thickness still permits of the use of the lead sole 13 of substantial depth or thickness required for durability and adherence, and comes within the weight limit which is around eighteen pounds for each sandal, A

The upper portion of the sandal has a toe cap 141-, into which the forward ends of its side walls 15 merge in gradually curving relation and which toe cap is so formed as to closely lit the upper forward portion of the boot or overshoe 11, the relatively low side walls 15 and the heel counter 16 into which the rear ends of the side walls merge, permitting the sandal to be readily litted on lead sole 13 so that its lower surface comes substantially flush with the lower surface of the lead sole inV order to protect thelatter from luinping up on the base of the shoe vwhen the toe or heel is stubbed against solid articles for instance rock.

The extension of the flange or rib below the base vof the upper also forms a space within the flange so that the lead sole may beV conveniently finished by simply throwing molten lead into Ythis space to the level of tlieedge of the rib or flange. Prior to kthis however the base 18 of the upper or body of the sandal is tapped at a plurality of points and threaded bolts 18a are threaded into the tapped openings with their heads projecting into the space inclosed by the fla-nge or rib 17 so that these heads will be subsequently embedded in the lead sole, 13

and will operate to securely hold the latter in place upon the base 18 within the rib or flange 17; i v

The extreme lower or tractive surface of. thesandal will thus be flat as usual 'adapting the sandal to effective use upon sand or mud bottoms, while the presence of the lead soleil?) also lends effective traction in the use of the sandal upon rock bottoms wherel in the absence of the lead or comparatively soft surface constant danger of slipping is present. Y

The lead sole connected as it is to the upper or body'of the sandal, and protected as it is by the rib or flange 17, is well adapted to last practically the life time of the upper or body of the sandal and is, like the material of which l form the upper or body for the purposeof permitting the addition of the lead sole, uninfluenced by thel deteriorating influence salt water has upon leather, wood and similar materials previously used.

The means utilized for attaching the sandal and which may of course necessitate renewal from time Vto time, l have shown in the forni of aloop 19 riveted Yor otherwise secured to the heel counter of the body7 for the movable or running engagement of a strap 2() which is buckled around the boot or overshoe 11 above the instep. lt is to be understood however that other means may be utilized for this lpurpose although those proposed are obviously Veicient from the standpoint of ready connection and detachment. Y f

l claim :v

1. A divers sandal comprising a body or lead sole securedto the base within the rib or flange. Y y

2. A divers sandal comprisingan upper or body formed of manganese bronze and a lead sole, the Yupper or body 'having a dcpending protecting flange or rib around the 'edge ofthe sole.

3. A divers sandal including an upper having a base, a lead Vsole applied directly to the base, and attaching members secured to Y thebase and embedded in the lead sole, said upper having means to'protect the surrounding edge of the lead sole as described.

al. A vdive'i"s sandal comprising a manga-- iiese bronze upper having afbaseV and a depending flange' or rib around the basea lead sole on the base vwithin and flush with `the said rib kor flange, and bolts threaded into the base, having their headsembedded in the lead sole as described.

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